American Airlines sued for flight attendant’s hidden bathroom recordings: Families demand accountability

Multiple families have filed lawsuits against American Airlines after a flight attendant was caught secretly recording children in airplane lavatories. The victims’ families say the airline failed to act on clear warnings — and now, they’re seeking justice.

A Vacation Turned Nightmare: Jane Doe’s Story

In August 2023, a 13-year-old girl known in court filings as Jane Doe boarded a routine American Airlines flight from Orlando to Charlotte. She had just visited Disney World — a trip meant to create joyful childhood memories. But her family says those memories were shattered when they learned, months later, that she had been secretly filmed while using the airplane bathroom.

The person responsible was not a fellow passenger or a stranger in an airport restroom — it was one of the flight attendants: Estes Carter Thompson III, a crew member employed by American Airlines. According to court filings, Thompson used tape labeled “inoperative equipment” to fix his iPhone under the toilet seat, capturing footage of the child in an extreme violation of privacy.

The Lawsuit: Airline Knew the Risks, Did Nothing

Filed on August 6, 2025, in North Carolina, the lawsuit alleges negligent hiring, supervision, and retention by American Airlines. The plaintiffs claim that federal authorities had already flagged Thompson as a danger before Jane Doe’s flight — and that the airline knew or should have known of his conduct.

According to the complaint:

The FBI had already recovered photos of other minors from Thompson’s iCloud account.

He had previously targeted children ages 6, 9, 11, and 14.

American Airlines failed to restrict his use of personal devices or investigate his behavior.

Thompson was later sentenced to 18 years in federal prison, with five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of children (18 U.S. Code § 2251) and possession of child pornography involving prepubescent minors.

Despite his conviction, the airline has not issued a public apology to any of the families — a silence the plaintiffs say speaks volumes.